About Us

About Us

Heritage Baptist Church is an Independent Baptist Church that seeks to reach their community with the good news of Jesus Christ. We teach the timeless truths of the Word of God in an effort to disciple our people to be lifelong followers of Jesus Christ. Our music is Christ honoring and traditional in style. We believe you will find a friendly church who desires to minister to individuals and families.

History

God has been so good to us over the past thirteen years, but these blessings have come as a result of much plodding. Plodding and blessings are things the Lord has continued to use in my life. In August 2000, a pastor drove me around Haslet, showing me the need for a church in the growing community. At the end of the same month, we had our first service at the Haslet community center. We began to pray about a place to meet regularly but could not find a place in Haslet, so God gave us a storefront in a nearby community.

For three and half years we prayed and labored to fill that little building. One year after we got into the storefront, we were able to purchase seventeen and half acres which is our current property. The land, purchased from a cowboy, had two barns, a roping arena, and a double wide trailer on it. We did not know it at the time, but the property also came with the mineral rights.

Shortly after the purchase of our land, we hired an architect and began the process of preparing to build. As our storefront was getting crowded, there was a great spirit and much excitement in the church because we were about to build (or so we thought). In that same year we had a huge Fall Festival on our property with over eight hundred from the Haslet community attending. What a day that was as we got to meet many people from the community and advertise our coming to Haslet in the next year.

In May 2006 we finally met in our own building for the first time. What great joy and in some ways a sense of relief to finally be in our new building in the community God called us. The house of God was full.

After much plodding came the blessings! In June 2007 all I can say is that the light was turned on and God began to bless in a great way. We began to see souls saved and families added to the church almost every Sunday. This has continued relatively consistent up to this day. By 2010 our building was almost full and plans were started to build a new auditorium and to remodel our existing building. The build was started in April of 2012 and we were able to have our first service in the new auditorium in November of 2012. We are so thankful for the tool (facilities) God has placed in our hand in order that we might reach many people with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe the greatest days for our church are still yet to come!

Staff

Eric Crawford / Pastor

Eric Crawford was saved at the age of 6 years old while attending Bible Baptist Church in Bowie, TX. He was raised in a Christian home in Bowie TX. His dad, Dan Crawford, surrendered to preach when he was about 10 and became a bio vocation pastor for many years. He married his high school sweetheart, Tanya, July 31, 1992. He began Bible College at Norris Bible Baptist Institute the same year, graduating in 1995. In 1992 He became youth pastor in Bowie, TX at Calvary Baptist Church under Pastor Don Gonce. In 1994, he became Pastor of Bible Baptist Church in Nocona, TX. He and his wife served there for one and a half years. He became Co-Pastor of Lakeland Street Baptist Church in Fort Worth, TX in 1995 and then Pastor in 1997. He remained there until the end of 2000 in which year God enabled him to plant Heritage. Eric celebrated 20 years of marriage and 20 years of full time ministry in 2012. God has blessed Pastor Crawford and his family in a great way and the Lord has used him to pastor our church now for over 13 years.

Michael Wiggins was saved at the age of 15 during a revival meeting. Two years later he accepted God’s call to the ministry. He married his high school sweetheart, Donya, in 1996. They moved to Texas to attend Norris Bible Baptist Institute in 1997. Michael has served as Associate Pastor of Lakeland Baptist Church while in seminary. He then helped Pastor Crawford as Associate Pastor of Heritage Baptist Church. After graduating seminary, he returned to his home state of Florida, helping in his home church. In March 2001, he became Pastor of New Life Baptist Church in Equality, AL where he remained for five and a half years before going into evangelism for 2 years. In the fall of 2008, he became Pastor of Victory Baptist Church in Burnet, TX. After serving there for nearly 4 years, he moved back to Haslet to work again with Pastor Crawford. He is currently Associate Pastor/Choir Director/Missions Director/Sunday School Director of Heritage Baptist Church.

Jesse Latta grew up in Maryland and was saved at an early age in life. While in the 10th grade, he accepted the call to ministry. Jesse followed the Lord’s leading to attend The Crown College of the Bible in Powell, TN. While at Crown his love and passion for working with young people grew and after graduation he was able to serve as a Youth Director at Temple Baptist Church under the leadership of Dr. Clarence Sexton. In 2011, God led Jesse and his wife Julie to move to Haslet to serve at Heritage. Jesse’s burden and passion is to reach and teach young people while helping guide them toward God. He and his wife Julie have been married for over 8 years and have three children; Jared, Chase, and Kelsey. The desire of Jesse and Julie’s heart is that the young people to which they minister would obey the Lord and become lifelong followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Chad Bittle trusted Christ as his Savior at the age of four at a small Baptist church in Grapevine,TX . He has been raised in a Christian home and surrendered to full time ministry at youth camp when he was a teenager.. After graduating high school, he attended Providence Baptist College where he met his wife Cyndi. He graduated Bible college in the spring of 2015 and became part of our staff In August. Chad and Cyndi were married in September 2015. He currently serves as the director of our bus ministry as well as buildings and grounds supervisor.

Nick Leopper is from Knoxville, TN. He spent the first 30 years of his life at the Temple Baptist Church in Powell, TN, under the ministry of Pastor Clarence Sexton. After graduating from Crown College of the Bible, he married his wife, Sarah, in 2009. They served the Lord together in the preschool ministry, children’s ministry, and the youth ministry. The Lord blessed them with three children: Lauren, Adam, and Henry. During this time, Nick spent 13 years working in the business world, but eventually felt the Lord leading him into full-time ministry. He joined our pastoral staff in April 2018 and he serves as the Administrator of Heritage Christian Academy.

Gary Cox grew up in Kansas. He accepted Christ as his personal Savior at age 16. He married his wife Jeanie in 1967. Gary surrendered to full-time ministry in 1970 and attended Baptist Bible College in Springfield, MO. The Coxes served in churches in Fairfield, OH, Udall, KS, Topeka, KS, Halstead, KS, Woodward, OK, Denton, TX, and finally in their home Church in Haven, KS. In addition to pastoring, he served six years as a United States Marine and 18 years in the Air National Guard. They have four children (three living), eight grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. After retiring from full-time ministry in April 2011, they moved to Ft. Worth, TX to be close to some of their family. We are thrilled to have Bro. Cox serve as our Senior Ministries Pastor.